The Hindu : National : Lack of awareness casts big cancer burden, says GCCI

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Sunday, Oct 07, 2007
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Lack of awareness casts big cancer burden, says GCCI

Aarti Dhar

70 p.c. of all cancers detected at an advanced stage
At any given time, there are about 2.6 million cases in India

NEW DELHI: Lack of awareness and reluctance, particularly among women, to admit that they suffer from cancer due to the stigma attached it, are some of the factors that have led to a huge cancer burden in the country.

Close to 70 per cent of all cancers in India are detected when the disease is so advanced that treatment becomes much less effective. Many of these cancers can be either prevented altogether or treated effectively if detected early, according to Geetha K. Raman of the Global Cancer Concern India (GCCI), a non-governmental organisation involved in free screening, detection and awareness camps.

Started in 1998 by the late Major General R.S. Pannu, the GCCI, spread across 12 States, reaches out to thousands of people, particularly in slums and among the deprived sections. It provides screening facilities, including mammography, at cheap rates, palliative and home care services to the affected, apart from guidance and counselling to family members. Under the patronage of the former President R. Venkataraman, Arvind Lalbhai and Gursharan Kaur, the GCCI extends educational sponsorships to children. Donations from philanthropists are its primary source of funding. Last year alone, the GCCI conducted 152 screening camps which were attended by 19,516 people, of whom 232 were diagnosed as cancer patients.

There are about 2.6 million cases of cancer in India and close to nine lakh new cases are diagnosed every year.

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